Believe it or not, for us to truly understand the breadth and depth of the gospel, it is imperative that we have the same in depth understanding of the original nature of the kingdom of earth and the man created to have dominion over it.
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the elohim, And You crown him with glory and majesty!
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet…” Psalm 8:3-6
The realm of earth was created as a reflection of the kingdom of heaven.
Earth is heaven’s counterpart. Originally, there was a continuity between the two realms with the intention that they would intersect and intercourse with each other. The two dimensions were originally meant to be integrated. God would enter into the dimension of earth and fellowship with His creation and enjoy the pleasure of it. In this way, He could dwell among mankind and be their God and King.
As the earth was created to be a reflection of the realm of heaven, Adam was created to be a reflection of God. This is what it means when scripture says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27
I think sometimes we are tempted to look at Adam as though he were God’s craft project. We envision God reaching down into the earth, scooping up a handful of clay, forming it into the shape of a man, and with the power of His breath, brings it to life. Understandably we see Him this way, since that is pretty much the biblical account of his creation,
but we mustn’t forget that Adam is also God’s son (Luke 3:38) and God his Father.
God has other sons, but they are created for the realm of heaven, the “elohim”, who have their position and abode in the heavens. But Adam is the son of earth, created from the earth, and whose position and abode is of the earthly realm. God created Adam so that he too would be a father. As God is the Father of the sons of heaven, Adam would be the father of the sons of the earth. As God had the power to create sons unto Himself and in His likeness, Adam would have the power to procreate sons unto himself and in his likeness. As God created a son in His image, Adam would progenerate sons in his image.
There is a principle at work in the realm of the earth, and it is what I call the law of the seed. It is the fundamental rule that all life on earth is progenerated through its seed. When God gave the command to be fruitful and multiply, He endowed creation with the inherent ability to do so. Each form of life was created with the ability to replicate itself after its own kind upon the earth. The male and female portion of the seed comes together to create a new life from the original life, which ultimately has its origin in God.
Adam is a reflection of God in another way. He was created to represent God’s authority and dominion over the earth. As God is the highest ruling authority in the realm of heaven, Adam was to act in the same capacity over the realm of earth. He was to “subdue” it (Genesis 1:28). This means that all of the earthly creation was placed under the subjection of Adam. All things of the earth were placed under his feet, or under his dominion. Adam’s role of authority did not, however, supersede the authority or position of God, Who is alone reigns as the Lord of Lords and the Most High.
Adam and his kingdom were from the beginning created to be eternal. Death and decay were never meant to be a part of the kingdom of earth. Adam and his wife enjoyed free access to the Tree of Life that was rooted in the middle of the Garden.
And I believe that if sin and death had not become a part of Adam, at the end of his time and season on earth, he would have freely accessed the kingdom of heaven. In other words, he had the keys to the kingdom. He could enter it unhindered, indeed it was his inheritance. Now, I admit this is speculative, but not wholly so. I believe that we have examples of this type of translation in the stories of Enoch and Elijah, men who were taken up from the earth without going through the corridors of a bodily death. I also believe that the event the Church calls the Rapture is also a picture of this translation from one realm to the other.
The bible tells us of a transformation that awaits those who, through faith in Jesus Christ, will experience the same translation from one kingdom into another, either through the resurrection from the dead or the snatching away of the rapture. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Adam was the first son of God, created in His likeness to bear His image and reflection on the earth, which was itself a reflection and extension of the Kingdom of heaven. Adam was created by the Father to be a father, to be fruitful and to multiply sons and daughters on the earth. He was intended to be the ruling sovereign over the earth under the headship and authority of Almighty God. And Adam was originally determined to have eternal life, enjoying the presence of His Father forever and eventually inheriting the kingdom of God.
Wouldn’t it have been nice if the story could have ended here?
But we know it doesn’t. There is this pesky adversary to contend with, the crafty and cunning serpent who continues to writhe with bitter envy. After all, Adam did receive the crown of glory and majesty that he so coveted.
But that part of the story we will leave for next time!
Join me, won’t you?